Too many elected officials seem to value wealthy people over working people.

The new year brings the opportunity to start fresh. Enter the tradition of making resolutions. People set goals to change a behavior or accomplish a goal, like eating less or finding a new job. The idea is doing something different to improve your own life.

But what about resolving to improve the lives of others? And what if our elected officials made such a resolution?

Then 2019 could be the year of forgotten people. It could be the year ordinary Iowans — not just the rich and businesses — get some attention from government.

Because the quiet voices of the masses in this country do not resonate much in the corridors of power. Too many elected officials seem to value wealthy people over working people. They seek to help big corporations instead of struggling families.

The people we elect to represent us sometimes forget the foundation of this nation is built on Americans whose daily lives are focused on earning a living, getting kids to school on time, making dinner for their families and trying to keep the lawnmower running. They work, build, strive and even send their sons and daughters to war. When they do well, our country does well. When they struggle, so does our country.

Their lives are not improved by a border wall. Or a political fixation on abortion and birth control. Another tax giveaway to a big company does not help a parent find good daycare. Increasing access to firearms does not reduce health care costs. Families don't fare better because of demonizing immigrants, restricting pornography for prison inmates, busting unions or other nonsense that now passes for “governing” in this country and state.

If our politicians really resolved to make 2019 the year of improving the lives of their constituents, they would:

Invest in education

What could be more important to Iowa’s future than providing the best educational foundation for our children? Yet this state repeatedly fails to adequately fund K-12 education. Our leaders have also provided less and less support for higher education and shifted more of the cost to families. That trend should be reversed so Iowans can obtain the education they need to participate in a 21st century workforce — and so parents and young people are not saddled with student loan debt.

Clean up the environment

Iowa lawmakers again have an opportunity to get revenue flowing to a trust fund for conservation and recreation. In 2010, Iowans voted overwhelmingly to amend the state constitution and create this mechanism to provide a dedicated source of revenue for the outdoors. Lawmakers have repeatedly refused to raise sales tax a fraction of a penny to fund it. An investment in Mother Nature is an investment in this state’s economy, families and the future.

Adequately fund basic government services

Every single Iowan needs government. We rely on public employees to repair streets, provide health insurance, respond to emergencies, teach our children, issue driver’s licenses and perform numerous other jobs. In recent years, the GOP has starved state government. The loss of thousands of administrative branch employees and closure of facilities directly and negatively impact the lives of Iowans.

Taxes and government also fund and maintain parks, libraries, public lands and other shared resources that improve quality of life and raise the standard of living for all Iowans.

Welcome immigrants

In 1869, the state of Iowa printed a 96-page booklet titled Iowa: The Home for Immigrants. It was intended to encourage immigration and provide useful information to newcomers. Lawmakers insisted it be published in several languages. This state’s population and industry were built on immigration. Almost all of us here now are descendants of people who came from other countries.

Today’s politicians need to recognize Iowa needs new people to grow, and many of those people are going to come here only through immigration. We should welcome immigrants. They work jobs, provide a labor force to attract new businesses and pay the taxes to help fund everything from sewer repairs to Social Security for retirees.

Guarantee access to health insurance

A huge worry would be lifted from the shoulders of Americans if they knew that they would always have access to insurance and that an illness was not going to bankrupt them. They would have more freedom in making important life decisions, including staying home with young children, leaving a job to care for elderly parents or starting a new business.

The Affordable Care Act created the infrastructure to provide Americans certainty about health insurance. It expanded Medicaid to cover millions more Americans. It subsidizes private plans that can be purchased by those who do not receive coverage from a job. Obamacare can work well if elected officials want it to. That requires small tweaks, adequate funding and an end to politically driven attempts to destroy the law.

Support working parents

For many Iowa families, child care is now the most expensive household budget item, more costly than housing and health care. Access to affordable, quality child care is a basic need for Iowa families and can help the state attract businesses, retain residents and make it possible for parents to earn a living.

Everyday working people make up the bedrock of this nation, yet their needs are too often forgotten in the halls of power. It does not take much for government to help move their daily lives from a little too hard to a little bit easier. Our elected representatives in Iowa should resolve to make 2019 the year they do this.